Question

Decomposers and detritivores are same.

(a) True

(b) False

The question was posed to me in a job interview.

This intriguing question comes from Decomposers in portion Ecosystems of Energy Management

Answer 1

The correct option is (b) False

To elaborate: Though both feeds on the same diet and both are heterotrophic they both are not same. Decomposer is a general term while detritivores are the classification of decomposers. Decomposers break down the dead organisms through decomposition, while detritivores consume the decaying organisms.